The EU Ecolabel for

household detergents

EU Ecolabel household detergent product groups provide

consumers an eco-friendly alternative to conventional
detergents and lowering their daily environmental impact.
EU Ecolabel detergents differentiate themselves from
conventional detergents through the wide scope of
environmental criteria they respect. The label guarantees
detergents with limited hazardous substances used,
sustainably-sourced raw material, design and recyclability
of packaging and proper guidance of the product user.

The detergents included in these product groups: dishwasher, laundry, and hand dishwashing detergents take into
account any detergents marketed and designed to be used exclusively in household dishwashers and in automatic
dishwashers for professional use of the same size and usage as that of household dishwashers. Pre-treatment stain
removers include stain removers used for direct spot treatment of textiles before washing in the washing machine.
They can be used for the daily washing of textile, but also to wash by hand items such as glassware, crockery and
kitchen utensils as the product formula prevents skin irritation. Industrial & institutional dishwasher and laundry
detergents designed for B2B cleaning companies are covered in separate criteria.

For more information…

#CircularEconomy The scheme, its feature, the actors involved, the application process:
www.ecolabel.eu http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ecolabel
 Hotspots & Solutions
The EU Ecolabel addresses a number of environmental hotspots induced by the use of
detergents :
Hotspots Issue
Hotspot 1: Some toxic substances present
Environmental
in conventional detergents
Impact of Toxic
Substances have a negative impact on the
environment.
Hotspot 2: Many ingoing substances used
Deforestation and
in conventional detergents are
degradation
derived from palm oil, which
are often times sourced from
plantations that are
responsible for deforestation.
Hotspot 3: Huge The use of non-recyclable
amount of waste
material and presence of
going to landfill
and impossible to contaminating toxic
recycle substances in packaging of
detergents creates
unnecessary waste sent to
landfills and CO2 emissions.
#CircularEconomy
www.ecolabel.eu
EU Ecolabel Solution
EU Ecolabel household detergents must respect minimum thresholds
for critical dilution volumes, must be composed of biodegradable
surfactants and comply with strict restrictions on the number of
hazardous substances present. For example, there is a strict ban on
EDTA (and its salts), microplastics, and triclosan amongst other
substances. Very few fragrances, preservatives, colouring agents and
enzymes are allowed. Substances also, cannot be acutely toxic, a
specific target organ toxicant, a respiratory or skin sensitiser,
carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction. The ‘Detergent
Ingredient Database’ list (DID list) is available on the EU Ecolabel
website.
EU Ecolabel household detergents limit the deforestation and
degradation of ecosystems by requiring certification schemes for the
sustainable production of palm oil, that address environmental
impacts on soil, biodiversity, organic carbon stocks and conservation
of natural resources. Acceptable certificates include the Roundtable
for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) (by identity preserved, segregated or
mass balance) or any equivalent or stricter sustainable production
scheme.
The EU Ecolabel limits the amount of plastic and waste destined to
landfill by setting weight/utility ration (WUR) requirements to ensure
that only the necessary amount of packing is used for the product.
Packaging must also be composed of recyclable materials and have
clear indications to the consumer on how it should be properly
disposed. Spray bottles must be refillable and reusable. In order to
decrease the amount of CO2 emissions, propellants in sprays are also
prohibited.
 Hotspots Issue EU Ecolabel Solution

Hotspot 4: Poorly concentrated detergent The EU Ecolabel ensures less water and energy consumption by
Inefficient use of
containers and lack of dosing guaranteeing that its detergents have optimal cleaning performance
resources and
effectiveness instructions lead to even at low temperatures without over-dosing. Companies must
unnecessary energy and water provide documentation demonstrating that the product’s fitness for
consumption. use has been tested, as specified in criteria.

Hotspot 5: Unavailable dosing The EU Ecolabel limits over-dosing household detergents by ensuring
Overuse of
instructions and measuring that products are accompanied by instructions on dosing.
detergents
equipment may lead to Furthermore, the reference dosage for each product must not exceed
overuse and unintentional a specific amount of density of liquid used per wash or per kg of
waste of detergents. laundry. The environmental impact of incorrectly following these
guidelines must also be clearly specified on the packaging.

For more information…

The scheme, its feature, the actors involved, the application process: #CircularEconomy
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ecolabel www.ecolabel.eu